The Big Apple’s quest to make New Yorkers more health-conscious took a step forward after Judge Richard Holwell upheld a regulation requiring restaurants with 15 or more locations to display calorie information on menus.

The New York State Restaurant Association, “which sued to block the plan, vowed to appeal,” reports the New York Daily News.

If the regulation does take effect, The Consumerist blog suspects that some restaurant-goers will be startled by what they see.

“Get ready to laugh at the shocked expressions on your fellow Starbucks customers’ faces as they learn that their favorite drink (Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino® Blended Crème, 750 calories) has more calories than a Whopper (only 680),” writes the blog.

The court case has also produced an interesting side issue. Dr. David Allison, incoming president of the American Obesity Association, was apparently paid to file an affidavit supporting the position of the New York State Restaurant Association. The affidavit angered some AOA members, according to Web site GoUpState.com.

This is Gotham’s second attempt to combat obesity by calling for menu calorie counts; an earlier version of the rule was struck down in court.

“It doesn't hurt anyone to add the calorie information,” Joe Bermudez, a retired economist, told the New York Daily News. “I have to be careful about what I eat.” Restaurant industry representatives have said they plan to appeal the ruling, which only affects restaurants with 15 or more locations.

The Consumerist blog tells New Yorkers to “get ready to laugh at the shocked expressions on your fellow Starbucks customers’ faces as they learn that their favorite drink (Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino® Blended Crème, 750 calories) has more calories than a Whopper (only 680).”

The city’s first attempt to require calorie information on menus was eventually struck down. However, Judge Holwell said last year that if restaurants were required to disclose calorie information, the city could regulate how the information is seen. In January, the New York City Board of Health once again passed the measure.

Incoming president of the American Obesity Association Dr. David Allison has argued against the calorie posting regulation, saying that the “new rules could backfire—whether by adding to the forbidden-fruit allure of high-calorie foods or by sending patrons away hungry enough that they will later gorge themselves even more,” according to GoUpstate.com.

San Francisco and Seattle are also considering rules forcing restaurants to display nutrition information. Last year, California’s legislature adopted a law similar to that of New York City, but it was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“The court also finds that the required disclosure of caloric information is reasonably related to the government’s interest in providing consumers with accurate nutritional information and therefore does not unduly infringe on the First Amendment rights of [New York State Restaurant Association] members,” reads Judge Holwell’s ruling.

To learn more about healthy eating, see findingDulcinea’s Nutrition Guide, which provides an overview of the subject, links for finding a nutritionist, information on food allergies and healthy recipes.

Obesity affects approximately one third of Americans, according to the National Center for Health Statistics Survey. Learn more about what constitutes obesity, how it affects the body and how to prevent and treat it with the findingDulcinea Obesity Guide.